I just read a super interesting take on the Christian right wing attempt to dumb down our culture by devaluing science. It really is happening folks. A while back I linked to a story about the state legislature in Georgia wanting to put a sticker reading "evolution is just a theory" in biology books.
The religious nut jobs are a serious threat to our nation and way of life.
Here's the editorial and some quotes:
[...]The author describes a scenario I hadn't considered before. Our very survival and way of life depends on our scientific advantage. The right wing religious types are threatening that. I think it's pretty obvious that the only way a religion can control a person is by keeping them ignorant. For the first time, I can see how that is really dangerous to me personally.
But when someone is willfully ignorant, demands to stay that way, and then goes on to work hard at having their willful ignorance reclassified and forced on everyone else as the desired National Standard of Knowledge and Education: That's just flat out revolting, not to mention pointless and counter productive to our interest as a nation. And that's what the Discovery Institute, cheered on by some elements of the Neo-Christian right, hope to accomplish. Evolution is just the beginning of their plans folks.
[...]
Are any of you under the simplistic warm-fuzzy notion that America wins wars because our troops are braver than our enemies? Or because they fight harder? Cowards don't fly jumbo-jets into skyscrapers people. That kind of act may be hideous, it may be misguided and murderous, they are terrorists; but it's not cowardly. The 9-11 pilots? Terrorists; yes. Murderers; check. Deranged; probably. Violent Religious Fanatics; definitely .... Cowards; nope.
We win, most of the time anyway, even though we're usually outnumbered, because our military science and technology is vastly superior to that of our foe.
[...]
We are not the largest nation. We are no longer the wealthiest nation. In fact we're in debt to the Chinese, Saudi's, and Japanese, up to our eyeballs. But we have the most badass scientists on the planet. Don't go dicking around with our one advantage you nitwits. Our national security is so utterly contingent on science, it's damn near treasonous for anyone to aid and abet destroying it in anyway.
Science is bad? Scientists are left wing dopes? Creationists have a clue? You've been conned people, if you think there really is a non-evolutionary, scientifically testable alternative to explaining biodiversity, or that creationists care about science or their own integrity. You've been sold a bill of goods that doesn't exist. You've been swindled, and what's sickening is you're arguing for these unpatriotic liars, instead of kicking their ass to the curb. You wingers claim to love America right? If you don't support science, you might as well cut Lady Liberty's throat and watch her bleed to death.
It used to be that I just felt sorry for people that bought into all the hocus pocus. I think we need to realize that part of the brain drain in this country is directly related to the rise of the Christian right wing.
I'm still giving serious thought to how we change the paradigm. We need to figure out a way to turn the tables. Religion and science are basically opposites. We need to emphasize and reinforce the positive influence of science. How can that be done unless we make organized religion something to be embarrassed to participate in?
It's just so amorphous. I don't go to church on Sunday's, but I do know some nice people that do. They aren't crazy, they don't hate any specific group (ie Muslims, gays), they believe in and have studied science. At some level, I think they may have come across a way to reconcile the two that I'm not aware of. Perhaps they pick and choose. If the religion doesn't exactly fit scientific fact, they brush it off with a nod and a wink.
I don't necessarily have a problem with that. I think it's just kidding yourself, but it doesn't really do a whole lot of harm. The very vocal, and now powerful under Bush's watch, right wing bat-shit-crazy Christians are the danger.
2 comments:
It's down right scary when you view it in those terms. But how true...the effort to revert America's education system to that of the mid 1800's will likely revert the rest of the country into the dark ages. Moving abroad keeps looking better and better, but then I was never one to cut and run.
We must stand together and insist that education and science continue to grow or we'll be the next third world nation on the block.
That's very true.
The issue all comes down to Presidential politics. Bush needed to get elected, and then re-elected. He couldn't do it on policy alone. He needed the Christian right wing - so he courted them, and thus empowered them.
George Bush gave legitimacy to the really crazy segment of our society that would inflict severe harm on our culture.
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